Two of the Same Fate
by Hitokiri Yukihime
Summary: What if Tomoe and Kaoru had the same fate? Spoiler


**Two of the Same Fate**

Disclaimer: I don't owe Kenshin (Unlocks collar and lets him go).

Warning: Contains spoilers and deathscenes.

Amakakeru ryu no hirameki! Kenshin swinged his sword and Enishi dodged whit ease. But then he felt something. It was different. Totally different from before. This wasn't the same amakakeru ryu no hirameki he had fought at the Kamiya dojo. Back then Battousai's hiten mitsurugi ryu had been marked by guilt. Now the force of this attack was like of another world. Could it be true that Battousai had found his answer? Was it true that the will to live made him stronger?

Battousai swirled around and moved into attack again. Enishi was frozen by fear. He couldn't win against this man. Not alone.

'Sister!

Help me, sister. Lend me your strenght, sister. If you can smile for me, I won't lose to anyone. I can become stronger than anything. So smile for me... Smile for me, sister.'

Enishi saw the image of Tomoe, but she wasn't smiling. She looked just sad. And she looked so disappointed.

Disappointed? Why was she disappointed? He was punishing the man who killed her. Did that mean she didn't want him to punish Battousai? Enishi had been so sure she looked disappointed every since the battle at the Kamiya dojo because he hadn't finised Battousai off. Could that be wrong?

Enishi was taken by doubt. The sword slipped out of his hand.

Amakakeru ryu no hirameki hit him full force in his side and sent him flying trought the air. The attack was so forceful it was beyond pain. Everything got dark before he even touched the ground.

¤

Kaoru looked in awe as Kenshin sent Enishi flying trought the air. All of Kenshin's doubt and guilt was gone. Kaoru was so happy.

Enishi hit the sand whit a loud bump. He wasn't moving. Was he dead! Kaoru couldn't see from where she was standing if he was breathing.

O-of course he was alive, Kaoru shaked it off. Kenshin had vowed to never kill again.

Sano, Yahiko, Megumi, Misao, Aoshi and Saito began to talk again. It was like if everyone had been holding their breaths.

The fight was over and it didn't look like Kenshin had any fatal wounds. A sigh of relief escaped Kaoru's mouth and a smile spread across her lips.

Megumi and Misao was on their way towards Kenshin as he nearly toppled. He looked awfully tierd, but he was alive. And that was all that mattered.

A loud bang shattered the air. Blood spurted from Kenshin's shoulder. Woo Heishin stood a short distance away with a gun in his hand.

Kenshin fell to the ground. Kaoru was paralysed. When he tried to get up Kaoru's senses began working again. He was alive.

«You have all treated me like trash!» Heishin shouted, «I'll kill you! You are all going to be massacred!»

He pointed the gun in Kenshin's direction again, redy to fire.

Kaoru felt fear and adrenalin rush through her.

«No!» she screamed. She could hear Megumi's word in her head. 'You all seem to think Kenshin is some invincible demigod who'll always be fine. But listen to me -As a doctor, I can tell you that he's mortal, just like the rest of us.'

Kaoru ran between Heishin and Kenshin. She could hear people screaming her name frantic, but it didn't matter. She stood with her arms out to protect her beloved one.

Kaoru could see events from her life flashing before her eyes. The night she had met Kenshin and accused him for ten murders he hadn't commited, the day the two of them had met Yahiko and he had tried to pickpocketing Kenshin, then Jin-E had kidnap her and Kenshin had turned back into Battousai to save her, then they met Sano and he said he hated ishin shishi until Kenshin knocked some sense into his head, then Megumi appeared whit her foxy laughter, then they had met Saito, Misao, Aoshi and all the others.

Not all the memories was all too pleasant, but Kaoru was happy. She was happy she had got to meet with all this people and experienced all this events. She was glad she had met Kenshin and had seen him smile, laught and been happy. He had still many lifes to save. The era needed men like him. But most of all; Kaoru couldn't imagine a world without his smile. That's why she stood there with her arms out to protect his life. He had to keep smiling. For the both of them.

Kaoru once promised Megumi that she wouldn't die no matter what, because then Kenshin would be sad and blame himself. But she couldn't let him die, she just couldn't. She had no regret.

Kaoru closed her eyes. She heard the sound split the air and felt the bullet bore itself into her chest.

¤

Kenshin was used to pain. The shoulder where Heishin had shoot him didn't hurt that bad. He tried to get to his feet. He had to stop Heishin before someone got really hurt.

Then someone screamed «No!»

Kenshin knew that voice. He looked up and saw a horrifying sign. Heishin was pointing his gun at him, and Kaoru was running right into the path of the bullet. The blood frozed to ice in his vains.

It all happened so fast. Kenshin couldn't even blink. Kaoru stood with her arms out and shielded his view to Heishin. Heishin shouthed «Die!» and once again a loud bang shattered the air.

The bullet bored itself into Kaoru's chest. Her blood rained and made red stains on her kimono. The one with cherryblossoms.

Kenshin saw Tomoe. Her back was slashed open. It was snowing. Tomoe's blood was raining around him and made the snow red. In his hands, Kenshin held the same bloody sword that had killed her only a moment ago. The smell of hakubaiko hung in the air. Hakubaiko, blood and death.

Tomoe was falling.

«Kaoru-dono!» Kenshin ran to catch her before she hit the ground. He held Kaoru's dying form in his arms. This wasn't a doll. This was the real Kaoru. The same Kaoru that had walked, talked, laughted and smiled. This was the Kaoru that had said she didn't care about his past.

In the corner of his eyes, Kenshin could see that Sano, Yahiko and Misao were taking Heishin down. They might even kill him, Kenshin didn't care. In the background Aoshi stood in a even deeper silence than usual. Saito was smoking and looked a little puzzled.

Megumi came carefully to look how Kaoru's condition was, just to see if there was something she could do to save her life. But Megumi stoppet when she saw her. It was alredy too late. Kaoru's breath was rough. The bullet must have hit her lung. It looked like she was in pain. A tear ran down her skin and she coughed blood.

It was Kenshin's fault she was in pain. He only wanted to protect her. But he was always bringing disaster to the ones he love.

He once tried to leave her to save her from the unavoidable. But she had followed. He didn't want to leave and she didn't let him.

She once had said she wanted to stay with him forever. He had let himself hope that it maybe was possible. He had let himself call her dojo his home, he had let himself hope of a future, he had let himself love her.

«Ka-Kaoru-dono,» Kenshin whispered. He realized he was crying. Kaoru's eyes were blurred. She looked at him.

«I want you to keep smiling,» she said so weakly that only Kenshin could hear it. Kaoru tried to smile, but then her eyes became empty and her face peaceful. Kenshin felt the warmth leave her.

It was just like that time in the snow. That time when it smelled hakubaiko, blood and death.

«Kaoru!»

A/n: Now you may think I don't like Kaoru, but that's wrong. I just wanted to write some real substuff. If you don't like Kaoru, then it isn't sad. But if you do, like me, then it's really sad... If that make sence.

Yeah, and this is based on the manga. Not the anime. Not at all. If you haven't read the whole manga I have to say; don't worry. Kaoru doesn't die. It's just my twisted mind.

This is my first ever fanfic, but I don't want you to be nice to me of that reason. Give me a review and tell me honestly what you think... Please? Cyber coockies to all that reviwes.


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